Sourdough Recipe · Intermediate

Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls — Soft, Fluffy & Tangy

The best sourdough cinnamon rolls recipe — soft, enriched dough with a brown sugar and cinnamon filling, topped with cream cheese frosting. Make overnight or same-day.

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Sourdough cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting in a baking dish

Updated September 2026 · 10 min read

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Sourdough cinnamon rolls trade commercial yeast for active starter, which means a longer rise but a far more interesting flavour — the mild tang of sourdough against brown sugar and cinnamon is genuinely better than the original. Make them overnight and bake them fresh in the morning.

Ingredients

150g Active starter
500g All-purpose flour
180ml Whole milk
60g Unsalted butter
50g Granulated sugar
1 large Egg
8g Salt

For the filling: 100g soft butter, 150g brown sugar, 2 tbsp ground cinnamon, pinch of salt.

For the cream cheese frosting: 120g cream cheese (softened), 60g butter (softened), 150g icing sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract.

Method

  1. 1
    Make the dough In a large bowl, combine warm milk, starter, sugar, and egg. Add flour, salt, and softened butter. Mix until a shaggy dough forms, then knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth, soft, and slightly tacky. It should pass the windowpane test.
  2. 2
    Bulk ferment Cover and let rise at room temperature (21–24°C) until doubled, about 4–6 hours. Or refrigerate overnight (8–12 hours) — the dough will rise slowly in the cold and develop more flavour.
  3. 3
    Roll and fill On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a rectangle about 40×30cm. Spread softened butter evenly, then sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture across the entire surface, leaving a 1cm border along one long edge.
  4. 4
    Roll and cut Starting from the long edge without the border, roll the dough into a tight log. Pinch the seam to seal. Using a sharp knife or unflavoured dental floss, cut into 9–12 equal rolls.
  5. 5
    Second rise Place the rolls cut-side up in a buttered 23×33cm baking dish, leaving a little space between each. Cover and let rise until puffy and the rolls are touching, about 2–3 hours at room temp. For an overnight bake, cover tightly and refrigerate — pull them out 1 hour before baking.
  6. 6
    Bake Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Bake for 25–30 minutes until golden on top and cooked through. The centre of the middle roll should read about 88–90°C (190–195°F) on an instant-read thermometer.
  7. 7
    Frost while warm While the rolls bake, beat together cream cheese, butter, icing sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Spread generously over the warm rolls and serve.
Flour, water, salt and starter portioned beside a kitchen scale

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Overnight method (recommended)

The overnight cold proof develops more flavour and lets you bake fresh rolls in the morning with minimal effort.

Evening Mix and knead the dough. Cover and bulk ferment at room temp for 2 hours, then refrigerate. Or skip the room-temp rise entirely and go straight to the fridge.
Before bed Roll, fill, cut, and place in the baking dish. Cover tightly with cling film and refrigerate overnight.
Morning Pull the dish from the fridge 45–60 minutes before baking. Preheat oven. Bake 25–30 minutes, frost, and eat.

Tips for the best rolls

Use peak starter the dough is enriched (butter, sugar, egg slow fermentation), so a strong, active starter is essential.
Do not add too much flour a slightly sticky dough makes softer rolls. Resist the urge to keep adding flour while kneading.
Roll tightly a loose roll unravels during proofing and baking, leaving gaps between the cinnamon layers.
Cut with floss slide unflavoured dental floss under the log, cross the ends over the top, and pull to cut. Cleaner than a knife.
Do not overbake pull them when the tops are golden — they continue cooking in the hot dish. Overbaked rolls are dry and tough.

Watch for

  • If your starter is not doubling reliably, add 3g instant yeast to the dough as a backup — the sourdough flavour still comes through.
  • Do not use a microwave to warm the milk — it creates hot spots that can kill the starter. Warm gently on the stove or let it come to room temperature naturally.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Can I make sourdough cinnamon rolls without commercial yeast?
Yes — that is the whole point. Active sourdough starter provides all the leavening. The dough takes longer to rise than a yeasted version (4–6 hours at room temperature, or overnight in the fridge), but the flavour payoff is significant. If you are in a hurry, you can add a pinch of instant yeast to speed things up.
How long do sourdough cinnamon rolls take?
Active time is about 30–40 minutes. The rest is rising and proofing. Same-day: mix in the morning, shape in the afternoon, bake by evening. Overnight: mix in the evening, shape, refrigerate overnight, and bake fresh in the morning — about 25 minutes in the oven.
Why are my sourdough cinnamon rolls dense?
The most common causes are underproofed dough and weak starter. Enriched dough (butter, sugar, egg) ferments slower than lean dough, so it needs more time. Make sure your starter is at peak activity — it should have doubled and be full of bubbles. Also avoid adding too much flour when rolling; a slightly sticky dough makes softer rolls.
Can I use sourdough discard for cinnamon rolls?
Only if you also add commercial yeast. Discard does not have enough active leavening power to raise an enriched dough on its own. It will add flavour, but you will need about 7g of instant yeast to get the rise.
How do I store sourdough cinnamon rolls?
Cover tightly and keep at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Reheat in a 150°C (300°F) oven for 8–10 minutes. They also freeze well — wrap individually and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight and reheat.
What is the best flour for sourdough cinnamon rolls?
All-purpose flour gives the softest, most tender rolls. Bread flour works too but gives a slightly chewier texture. Do not use whole wheat for the full amount — it makes heavy, dry rolls. If you want some whole grain flavour, replace up to 20% of the all-purpose with whole wheat.
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